Hush
by 5t4c3y
Summary: Could you fall in love with your kidnapper...Could he fall in love with you? Neither thought it was possible. Choosing between the girl you love and the dad you'd do anything for has never been so deadly . . .
1. Taken

**A/N: Hey guys, so here is my new(ish) story, 'Hush'. I wrote a story very like this once before, one which I completed but wanted to rewrite and make changes to . . . big changes XD I hope you all enjoy.**

 **Summary: How far would you go to save someone you love? Natsu knew how far he'd go. It was fate that brought them together, but it was their love that would tear them apart.**

 **Pairing: Natsu/ Lucy, Gajeel/Levy**

 **Rating: M**

 **. . . . . .**

 **HUSH**

 **Chapter One**

He stood and watched her for what felt like hours; the image of the rope cutting into her ankles and wrists forever engraving themselves into his memory as she huddled further and further into the corner. He hadn't been the one to tie her up. He had been against the idea right from the beginning, but after her, he'll admit, impressive attempts at self-defence, one which result in Gray taking a fist to the face, he realized that they couldn't risk it. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to get hurt. Or worse. After all, this wasn't about any of them anymore.

It was about him.

Slowly, he made his way towards her, her crying getting louder and more hysterical with every step he took. She scrambled as far into the corner as she could, her skinned knees pulled tightly into her heaving chest as she tried to create as much distance between them as possible. But that wasn't much. Back hitting the wall, he saw the full extent of her terror. Tears stained her cheeks as she continued to wail, her thick golden hair sticking up in every direction. Her usual pouty lips were dried and cracked from her chewing; a nervous habit, he had quickly discovered.

The only thing he could hand on heart state that he was happy about was the ratty old blindfold that hid the fear in her chocolate brown eyes.

Ever so gently, he reached out for her, a gasp escaping from her throat as he picked her up. Toes curled and body rigid, she held her breath, and he could tell, he could tell that she was waiting for a hard blow. Instead, he just lay her down on the bed.

"Please," she croaked, her voice lowering to a whisper. "Tell me what I've done. Please tell me."

He couldn't bring himself to reply. She looked so young. So . . . innocent. Only a few hours ago he had been sitting at the bar, watching her every move. He had never seen anyone smile so much in his life. It was contagious. He noticed everyone light up when she was around, and before long he even found himself cracking a smirk or two.

He watched as loser after loser had asked her for a dance, her body guards on edge the full time. Not one of them had held her attention longer than a few minutes, however. She had been there to enjoy herself with her friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

When it had come her turn to buy a round she had made her way to the bar with little effort, the crowd of bodies parting like The Red Sea. She smiled to everyone who greeted her, but he could see in her eyes that she was seeking normality. Praying to blend in like everyone else. That would never happen though, and he could tell that she knew that too.

It was when she was placing her order that the tables turned. He could hardly believe it at first, but it seemed that out of everyone in that place _he_ was the one to catch hereye. She had smiled at him across the bar, blushing slightly before quickly looking away, clearly embarrassed at being caught. In any other situation, he probably would have found the whole thing rather comical. For someone of her status to spike interest in the likes of him. It was laugh-worthy, really, but an ego boost none the less. He'd have smiled back; played it cool before going and introducing himself. He was a bit older – by at least four or five years. But that didn't seem to faze her. Instead, she took her drinks, glanced at him one last time, and with that same small smile, disappeared back into the crowd.

He loved her smiled, and it killed him knowing that he was the one who was going to make it disappear.

He had downed the last of his drink, stood up from his stool and began to follow her into the cesspit. Just as the lights went out.

"Are you going to make me beg!?" Was the cry that snapped him out of his daze. "Just tell me what it is that I've done! Whatever it is, I'm sorry! I'm so truly very sorry!"

He cleared his throat. "You've not done anything wrong." His voice sounded like some strangers at that moment. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Then let me go!" She pleaded, her voice cracking as her sobs filled the room. "If I have nothing to do with this then please let me go! I promise, I promise I won't say anything. I won't tell a soul." Lip quivering, her voice broke completely. "I just want to go home."

He swallowed the lump in his throat, his own eyes beginning to burn with tears threatening to fall. Waves of guilt washed over him at an unbearable rate, her slight body heaving with each breath she took. It was only natural for him to wonder if it was even worth it.

Fist clenched, he looked to the battered floorboards. "I wish I could."

He tried to hide the pain in his voice, but it was inevitable.

Her head fell forward, her eyes, even with the blindfold he could tell, scrunched up. "You're going to kill me . . . aren't you?" It came as a whimper of a reply. "I'm going to die here."

"No." He managed to say firmly, causing her to snap back up. "If we were going to kill you then we wouldn't have bothered blindfolding you," standing straighter, he began to back away from her, "just . . . just believe me when I say that you'll be home soon, okay? I promise you, you'll be home soon."

"When?" Doubt lacing her voice.

But he didn't answer. Instead he turned and made his way out the door.

" _When!?_ "

 **. . . . . .**

Locking the door, Natsu turned and slid to the floor, his back resting against the chipped wood as his mind began to wander. What had he been thinking? It had seemed the only possible solution when he woke up that morning, but now, now he wasn't too sure. There was no doubt that he was nothing but a dead man now. Him and . . .

He couldn't even bring himself to think it.

Feeling fresh emotion burn the back of his eyes, Natsu angrily swept away the one stray tear that fell before clambering to his feet. He could still hear her soft pleas of freedom from the other side of the door. Whimpers of apology. But nothing she did could change anything now, and for that he was nothing but sorry. Running his hands through his hair, Natsu headed downstairs, the drunken laughter of Zancrow getting louder with every step. How could he rejoice at a time like this? How could he have no mercy?

Natsu found his friends, his accomplices, in the living room; Zancrow downing a beer while Gray typed away furiously on his laptop, a quietness hanging over him.

"And here's the man of the hour!" Zancrow slurred, tossing Natsu a can as he collapsed onto the sofa. "She crying her eyes out? Screaming for her mommy?"

Zancrow, or Zee as he preferred, stood at around 6ft 1" and was built like a tank. Long blonde hair fell past his shoulders in choppy layers. It completed the psychotic look he had been trying to master since he could walk.

Looking up from his laptop, Gray scowled. "Shut up, Zancrow."

Ignoring him, Zancrow bounded over, his beer spilling at his feet. "Hey Natsu," he grinned menacingly, "when are we going to have a bit of fun, y'know? I could do with a bit of fun."

Zancrow was easily the most sadistic person Natsu had ever encountered. It was during detention in high school they had met. Once again, he had gotten into a minor fist fight with Gray, his best friend, surprisingly. They were hauled into detention faster than he could blink. Zancrow was in for smoking in class. Since that day, they had gotten into more trouble together than he had during his entire adolescence. But potential psychopath or not, the guy had stuck by him through thick and thin.

It didn't stop him from pissing him off however.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Zee!?" He cried, jumping to his feet. "You've not to touch her. _No one's_ to touch her," looking to Gray, he was pleased to see him nodding in agreement, "she's here for one thing and one thing only. Money! So, for once in your miserable life can you stop thinking with your dick and remember why we're all in this situation in the first place!?"

Kicking over the coffee table, a muttered 'asshole' spilling from his lips, Natsu stormed out the house, his anger blinding him as he slammed the door. He didn't need this shit. All he needed was for everyone to stick to the plan. Focus on the task at hand.

Sighing, for what felt like the millionth time that night, Natsu leaned over the rotting railing of the porch and lit a cigarette, a bad habit he had kicked along with many others, but had found himself doing more of recently. _It's so quiet here_. Although, 'here' to him was usually classified as 'nowhere' to others. There was no traffic. No towering buildings. There were no kids playing in the streets and no women yelling from the windows of their apartments. All there was, was an old house, a broken-down truck and a starry sky. All there was, was them.

Taking a draw from his cigarette, Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose feeling the dawn of a migraine. He couldn't help but scoff at the irony. If only Igneel could see him now. See what he had become. What would he say? Well, he'd probably kick ten shades of shit out of him to begin with. Yell at him a little too. But he'd understand. At least, he hoped he would. Nature had taken its course in every aspect of Natsu's life. He wasn't going to let it win again. This time he was ready to fight back.

To think that only a few months ago he was waltzing through life without a care in sight. The world one massive playground him and his friends. He could probably say without a word of a lie that he was truly happy for the first time in what felt like forever. But like all good things, he was coming to realize, it had to end eventually.

They had put it down to a simple migraine at the beginning. The double vision and headaches seeming to bring probability to that diagnosis. That's all it could have been, really. Igneel was as strong as an ox and as stubborn as a mule, and there was no way in hell that he'd bow down to anything more than that, so, life carried on as normal.

Normal didn't last long though.

The weeks began to pass by quickly, the migraines becoming violently worse. It was during their usual Sunday meal when Natsu noticed the slurred speech, the simplest of tasks catching Igneel off guard. He had stood staring at the oven with a look of utter confusion for a good five minutes before scratching the back of his head, mumbling a request for help and leaving the room. But Natsu, ever the optimist, knew that it was nothing serious. He'd leave 'serious' for the movies. 'Serious' didn't happen to the likes of them. He knew there was an explanation for the missing painkillers every time he went around to visit. He knew that the growing number of days that Igneel spent in bed was just because he was tired. He knew that moving back in was just to prove that.

He knew he'd been talking shit.

 **. . . . . .**

" _I'm telling you, you got a lucky shot and that's it," Natsu grumbled, rubbing the bruise forming round his eye. "Hardly felt a thing."_

 _Snorting out a laugh, Gray swung his gloves over his shoulder. "No one likes a sore loser, Natsu. I won fair and square."_

 _Wrestling with his key in the lock, Natsu felt his muscles tense. He hated losing at a sparring session, especially when he was losing to Gray. Igneel would never let him hear the end of it._

 _The house was in darkness when they walked in, Natsu dumping his car keys and boxing gloves on the table by the door. He had managed to get some of his pent-up frustration out with Gray. He even managed to crack a smile or two, and now, a good few beers were in order before he had to return to the real world._

 _Poking his head in the living room, Gray saw that the room was empty. A few blankets littering the sofa. "Where's your old man?" He asked, turning back to look at his friend. "Thought you said he hadn't moved from the couch all day."_

 _Brows furrowed in confusion, Natsu looked in and saw the empty space that Igneel rarely moved from._

 _Mood lifting, he smiled. "He must be feeling better!" Carrying on to the kitchen, Gray following closely behind, Natsu shouted out, "Dad! Hey, Dad!" But there came no answer._

 _The further he got into the house, the more his good mood began to shift, a feeling of deep discomfort washing over him. Something wasn't right. In fact, something was very very wrong. Stopping at the kitchen, a fear washing over him, Natsu gently pushed the door open, Gray peering over his shoulder, and like a bomb, his life as he knew it exploded right before him._

 _On the floor, back pressed against the counter, sat Igneel, blood pouring from his nose onto his shirt. Locking eyes with his son, he fell slightly, his breathing ragged._

" _N-Natsu . . ." He spluttered, shaking slightly as he tentatively reached out. "I'm not feeling too well."_

 _He toppled to the ground then, his body immediately springing into a fit of convulsions._

" _Dad!"_

" _Igneel!"_

 _A cry of unison._

 _Skidding to his father's side, Gray rushing out the room to call an ambulance, Natsu cradled him, tears burning the back of his eyes as he screamed for Gray to hurry up. Igneel's face turned into Natsu's chest, blood staining his crisp white shirt as his body slowly came to a shuddering halt. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. Not when things were going so perfectly. Not when he had finally found what he had been searching for for so long. He was his dad, his coach, his friend. He was the only family Natsu had._

 _The paramedics arrived in a matter of minutes, although for Natsu it had felt like hours. He could only watch as Igneel was strapped to a gurney and wheeled out to the waiting ambulance, the obvious questions running through his mind. Was he going to die? Would he be left on his own?_

 _The journey to the hospital lasted a lifetime, but when they finally arrived Igneel was whisked away without so much as a by your leave. Natsu was left with Gray in the family room, his time spent filling out the monotonous amounts of paper work. The hours passed slowly, but he couldn't sit. He paced up and down the small room, praying for God to save his dad._

" _The relatives of Igneel Dragneel." Was what snapped him out of his retrieve._

 _Glancing at Gray, they both stepped forward. "Here."_

" _You must be his son." Was the murmured response of the doctor, her gaze never looking up from her forms. "Name, please?"_

 _Fist clenching, Natsu fought back his anger. "Natsu Dragneel."_

 _Looking up at the two, a flash of confusion lighting her eyes, she nodded._

" _You're a bit older than I expected." She stated matter-of-factly, but he never explained. "Alright then, Mr Dragneel," She began, all attention now fixed on him. "After some extensive testing, we have managed to find the source to your father's pain, and I'm sorry to say that it isn't good news." Natsu could feel himself begin to slip. "Unfortunately, we located a large tumour in your father's brain which is pressing against his right frontal lobe. We're not too sure what has caused it. Many times, these things can be genetic, and other times they just happen."_

 _But Natsu wasn't listening. His world was too busy crashing down at his feet for him to do that. He didn't need to know why it was there, or what had caused it. It was there, and that was it. Fresh tears burned the back of his eyes, frustrating him further. He hated showing his vulnerable side. Real men don't cry had been what he was told growing up. Crying was a sign of weakness._

" _There is some good news, however." He was snapped back to reality then, that 'however' a small glimmer of hope in his dying world. "The tumour, right now, is operable. Your insurance won't cover it, and it is costly, but it is operable."_

" _I don't care!" Natsu cried, his voice breaking as his hands found their way to his hair. "I'll get the money. I don't know how, but I'll figure something out. How much are we talking here? One-hundred . . . two-hundred thousand jewels?"_

 _Eyes softening, the doctor looked at Natsu with sympathy, a reluctance to tell him weighing down heavily._

" _Mr Dragneel," she began softly, "for this type of procedure we will have to order in special equipment . . .On top of your hospital care and post op treatment, I'm afraid to say that you're looking more in the region of thirty million."_

 _The floor fell out from under him, forcing Natsu to sit down before he fell down. Was it even possible to raise that kind of cash?_

" _How long?" He asked, looking up at the doctor glassy eyed. "How long does he have?"_

" _Roughly three to four months without the surgery." She replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I really am terribly sorry."_

 _And with that, she left, leaving Natsu and Gray with nothing but their thoughts. He had no idea how he was going to raise that kind of money is such a short space of time. He'd be lucky if he twenty-five thousand for his old motor cycle for starters, and he highly doubted that holding a garage sale would help. For the first time in his life he felt totally helpless. Useless, even. But he couldn't give in. Through all the shit he had managed to get himself into over the years, Igneel was the one person who hadn't given up on him, and he'd be damned if he was going to do any different. But thirty million was no small task._

 _Natsu started out by contacting the banks in search of a loan, but they quickly shut the doors on him. He visited some local drug deals from his teen years, but after parting on bad terms, they weren't as willing to help. Gray and Zancrow couldn't help by much, and the only family that he had in his estranged brother, Zeref, was nowhere to be found. With savings just over fifty-thousand jewels between the three of them, Natsu was soon beginning to realize that this was a battle that he may just lose._

 _The weeks continued to pass at lightning speed, Natsu becoming more and more anxious with each passing day. Gray and Zancrow asked around on his behalf, but soon came back empty handed, something that hadn't come as a surprise to any of them. Natsu had quickly learned while growing up that if you had a history of drugs, violence and petty crime, then people were a lot less likely to be 'charitable'._

" _Can you think of anyone else?" Natsu asked, pacing back and forth as Gray typed away on his computer and Zancrow flipped between channels on the TV. "Anyone at all!? Relatives? Friends? I mean, there has got to be someone in this damn city who can help us!"_

" _Natsu, we've tried," Gray replied, sadness in his voice. "We've exhausted every avenue, and believe me, it's killing me to admit it. I love Igneel as much as my own Dad . . . but sometimes you need to know when enough is enough. Igneel wouldn't want you practically killing yourself trying to get this money together."_

 _Shaking his head, Natsu glared. "No. I can't give up."_

" _Have you considered a loan shark?" Zancrow asked, taking a sip of his beer. "Laxus would probably help you out."_

" _Zee, are you kidding!?" He scoffed, hands finding solace in his hair. "Do you remember what happened the last time I saw Laxus? He nearly lost an eye, I was beaten to a bloody pulp with a slashed side and we both spent the night in the cells!" Sighing, Natsu collapsed onto the sofa. "What the hell am I going to do you guys? I can't just sit back and watch him die . . . I can't."_

 _The room went silent, the only sound coming from the old TV in the corner where His Royal Highness, Jude Heartfilia, King of Fiore stood with his daughter, waving to the cameras. Natsu couldn't help but glare, the anger within him reaching boiling point. He never had to worry about money, about scraping and scrounging to try and keep his loved ones alive. When Her Highness, Layla Heartfilia had been on her death bed, the country was up in arms. But she was comfortable, and when she passed it was said that she had been smiling._

 _It wasn't fair._

 _His daughter probably got everything that she asked for too. She was only a month over eighteen, and nothing but a spoiled little rich girl._

 _Natsu continued to watch as King Jude shook hands with Makarov Dreyar, the Principle of the newly unveiled Fairy Academy, Fiore's most prestigious University to date._

" _Great, just what we need," Natsu spat, "another university. What's that, the tenth one that has been opened in Fiore in the past twenty years? Forget investing a little into our health service, lets open another school where most us will have to sell our soul just to be able to afford the tuition!"_

" _Can't say I disagree with you there." Gray murmured, turning his attention back to his computer._

 _With a shrug, Zancrow smirked. "May not be ideal, however, I can say one thing," getting up he moved to the TV, tapping the image of the busty blonde with the remote, "sure is great having a nice little piece of ass like that within touching distance."_

" _What?" Natsu asked, brows knitted together._

" _Her Royal Highness, Lucy Heartfilia, Princess of Fiore." He explained, eyes dancing with lust as he followed the movements of the vivacious beauty. "Since turning eighteen, our little princess has decided that Fairy Academy is going to be her next big step in the world. She starts classes in the fall."_

" _Yeah, you might see her around, Zee," Gray chimed in with a smirk, "I'm sure they'll be looking for a janitor."_

" _Hey, I could definitely tap that!" Zancrow argued back._

 _But Natsu wasn't listening, all he could do was stare at her._

 _And then it hit him._

 _He knew how he was going to save Igneel._

" _Well, that 'nice piece of ass', gentlemen, is exactly what's going to save my dad." He smiled, pointing to the screen. "Pretty girl like that, I'm sure, is worth a lot to someone like Jude Heartfilia. Maybe somewhere in the region of thirty million jewels."_

" _What the hell are you talking about, Natsu?" Gray asked in confusion. "Are you talking about . . ." Realization hit, his eyes widening as he stared up at his friend. "She's the princess of Fiore, Natsu! Are you crazy!? You can't just take her! She'll have bodyguards everywhere and you'll be shot before you even have time to blink!"_

" _Look, I'm not saying it's my first choice," Natsu bit back. "I don't want to harm the girl in any way, but this," tapping the screen again, he felt the hope reignite, "this is what we've been searching for. This is our pay out. It'll work, believe me." Standing straighter, his smile growing, Natsu never took his eyes off the girl. "There'll be a moment when she's alone, and when there is, I'll be there."_

 **. . . . . .**

That had been three weeks ago, and Natsu could remember it like it was yesterday. It had seemed a good idea at the time. Take a rich man's daughter and force him to pay a hefty ransom to get her back. Jude would be happy to get her back, Lucy would be happy that she had returned home safely, and Igneel would live. No one could lose. So, after keeping tabs on her for a few days, finding out her routine, how many body guards she had and hearing the little rumour that she was heading to Club Edolas with some friends, Natsu finally made his move.

And now she was sitting in the attic, cold, scared and alone. She was exactly where he wanted her.

"So why do I feel like shit?" He whispered to himself, taking one last draw from his cigarette before throwing the butt into the long grass.

Turning, Natsu looked up at the attic window. He could hear them. Zancrow's drunken slurs and Gray's pissed off scolding's. He could hear Zancrow mocking her, laughing at her and the tears she shed. Again, he could feel his own dreaded tears threaten to fall, but he wasn't going to let them. He had to stay focused. For Igneel's sake . . .

And for hers.

 **. . . . . .**

 **A/N: Well guys, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I do have this all written out, so it should be updated a bit more often than my other story, 'The Good Girl' (please check it out). But as for this one, please leave a little comment letting me know what you thought. Thank you my lovelies** **:o) xoxoxo**


	2. Promise

**A/N: Thank you all for such wonderful feedback. It's very much appreciated.**

 **. . . . . .**

 **Chapter Two**

The cold wind blew through the old house, causing an unhealthy moan to escape from the high ceiling beams. It sent a shiver up Lucy's spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing upright. Apart from the faint sound of voices from downstairs, there was nothing but silence. She had no idea where she could have been taken. Somewhere rural by the sound of it – or lack of for that matter. Since she had arrived she couldn't remember hearing one car pass. One sound of a horn or a person yelling in the streets. There had been nothing. Just silence. If it had been under any other circumstances, Lucy would have found the quietness rather peaceful.

But all she felt was loneliness.

Her tears had long since dried up, the tattered blindfold crusting at the edges. This wasn't how it was meant to be. This wasn't how she was supposed to spend her time at university. She wanted to be independent. Learn to fend for herself and have fun in the process. It was hard being the daughter of a King. His parenting skills usually outranked by his royal duties. She had wanted nothing more than to have some time apart from him, but now, now she would give everything just to be back by his side.

The wind blew once again, the cold air causing her to shiver. She had been out with Juvia, her lady-in-waiting, and best friend. They had gone out for a meal and then to a local club where they had met up with some others from the campus. Wearing nothing more than white and blue dress that stopped mid-thigh, she was beginning to wish she had opted for her jeans instead. Her whole body was covered in goose bumps, and her blue stilettos which were now strewn somewhere in the alley behind the club had left her feet bloody and freezing. She could tell there was a cut on her knee which, most probably still had glass embedded inside, and a bruise on her knuckles from where she had got a lucky punch in.

Her dried up tears came back full force.

"Please . . ." She croaked out, not knowing if anyone could even hear her. "Please let me go . . . someone please help me . . ."

Exhausted from the night's events, Lucy leaned against the cold damp wall, the springs in the battered mattress squeaking under her weight. If only she had listened to Juvia. If only she had called it a night after dinner. She wouldn't be here otherwise. Locked away like a prisoner. Tied up like an animal.

When the lights had shut off in the club all hell had broken loose. There had been screaming coming from every direction, her name being called out over the noise. She hadn't had time to call back before a hand clamped tightly over her mouth, the glasses she'd been carrying crashing to the ground as she was dragged further and further away from the safety of her friends. She had kicked and flailed against her assailant's grip, but it had been futile. He was nothing but a wall of muscle.

The sounds of panicked screams had dwindled to a muffled hum as she was yanked through a set of double doors, darkness still engulfing her. There, her captors hand had been exchanged for a strip of duct tape; a blindfold tied tightly round her eyes. There was two by that point. Two bodies trying to quickly usher her out through an emergency exit.

They had spoken amongst themselves in angered hisses, struggling to manoeuvre her without being spotted. The cold night air had bitten at her legs, her tears and muffled wails brought no attention to passer-by's. She had been alone. She had dragged her feet, losing her shoes in the process. But it hadn't stopped them. She had taken her chances when one of them had let go of her to open the doors, to what she assumed to be, a van. Her fist flew out, cracking on of them square in the nose. His pained grown and cursing had brought her a sliver of hope of being spotted, but it hadn't. They just grabbed her, lumbered her into the back of the van before speeding off.

Her tears came back once again, the fear of the unknown crippling her. Where was she? What did they want? Was Juvia safe? Bowing her head, Lucy quietly began to pray.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid?" Her soft voice filled the room. "The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident . . . Father . . . save me."

 **. . . . . .**

It was a good couple of hours later before Natsu had the guts to step back inside. Zancrow had passed out on the couch, and Gray was silently snoring away in the armchair with his laptop hanging haphazardly off his knee. The only sound came from the TV. Sighing, Natsu turned off the TV, closed over Gray's laptop and began to head upstairs towards his room. A small grungy place that had an old ratty single bed and very little furniture. It was safe to say that it was no palace that they were hiding out in. The house had once belonged to the Zancrow's Grandfather. A nice guy, but since he died very little had been done with it, including cleaning.

Natsu couldn't stop himself from looking towards the attic as he headed for bed. He couldn't help but stop and think about the girl who was tied up, pleading for freedom. Freedom that he so desperately wanted to give. It was cold. Too cold to be wearing nothing but a dress. What if she was freezing . . . and she was bound to be hungry by now. Heading into his room, Natsu rummaged through his bag and pulled out an old sweater and a pair of sweat pants. They would probably keep her a little warmer.

Turning back out the door, he stopped. He couldn't exactly dress her, and he very much doubted that she was in a state to do it herself blindfolded. How could he hide his identity from her? Rummaging through his bag once more, he came across a baseball cap, a pair of sunglasses and the old scarf that Igneel gave him.

Hat in place, sunglasses on and scarf wound tightly round his mouth, Natsu made his way for the attic once again.

Unlocking the door, Natsu stepped in to see Lucy in the same position. She was huddled in a ball on the bed, sitting as far into the corner as she could get. He could see the panic in her face as she heard his footsteps getting closer. A sight, he was beginning to realize, he would never find easy. She choked back a sob as she tried to scoot even further into her corner.

"Don't be afraid." He spoke softly, his voice a gentle lull.

Toes curling, she whimpered. "W-what do you want?"

He was silent for a moment, nerves kicking in unannounced. "I – uh – I came to bring you some clothes." It was her turn to go quiet, an almost unnoticeable tilt of the head showing her confusion at his chivalry. "I'm going to take that blindfold off and untie you . . . let you get dressed."

"You could let me go!" She bargained, desperation in her voice. "I swear I won't mention anything that's happened."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Natsu squeezed his eyes shut. If she kept begging him like that, he knew he'd slip eventually.

"I wish I could." Was his hoarse reply. "Believe me, I really do."

Natsu moved closer to her, her whole body tensing as he reached behind her head to untie the blindfold. He watched as she slowly became accustomed to the dim room. The only source of light coming from the rays of the moon through the window. Her eyes looked worse than he had expected. Red, swollen and teary. He literally felt his heart wrench as she looked up at him. He was only thankful that the sunglasses hid his own glassy eyes. The scarf covering his trembling lip.

"I'm going to untie you now." He said, picking up her wrists. "I promise I'm not going to hurt you, ok?"

Nodding with uncertainty, Lucy watched as her captor gently began to pull at the knots in the cords. They were tight from all the pulling that she had done, but soon, he had her free.

She couldn't help but wince as he unwrapped the cable from her wrists. They were swollen and bloody, purple bruises forming round the wounds. She slowly began to move them as he began the same task on her ankles, which in the end looked just as bad.

"I'm sorry." He practically whispered, never taking his eyes off the marks that had been left behind as he held her foot. "Are they very sore?"

Stunned once again, Lucy slowly looked down at him. She couldn't tell if he actually cared, of he deserved and Oscar for his performance.

"No . . ." She replied, uncertainly. "They look worse than they feel. My feet are a bit sore and I think there is glass in my knee, but apart from that, physically, I'm fine."

He gave a small nod, clearing his throat before standing up. "I'll – uh – I'll have a look. If you want me to, that is." Shuffling on his feet, he handed her the clothes he'd brought. "I'll turn around. Give you some privacy."

Stunned, but grateful, Lucy nodded. True to his word, he turned away from her, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. If she didn't know any better she would say that he felt just as awkward about the whole situation as she did, but still, she kept her eyes on him the full time. Unzipping her dress, she let it fall to a heap around her ankles. Immediately met with the cold night air, she wasted no time inspecting the clothing he had brought her; quickly pulling on the oversized blue sweater and grey sweatpants.

Bending, she picked up her dress, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear as she stood up. "Uh, you can turn around now."

Doing as he was told, Natsu felt the wrenching in his chest again at the sight of her. She looked so tiny in his clothes. Like she would get lost in them at any moment. As she sat back on the bed, he knelt before her, gingerly motioning for her to roll the pants leg up so he could look at the gash on her knee. Dried blood crusted round the edges of the wound, purples and blues staining her ivory skin. Looking up at her for permission, Natsu gently took hold of her leg and slowly began to pick out a piece of glass from the cut.

Wincing at the pain, she let him pull the glass from her knee. "There you go." He practically whispered, tossing the shard behind him. "It looks pretty clean."

All she could do was stare at him, the reflection of herself in his lenses bouncing back. Rolling the leg of the sweatpants down, she scuttled back on the mattress, tucking her hair behind her ear once again.

"Thank you." She whispered as he stood, creating as much distance between them as he could. "You're . . . you're not what I'd expected in a kidnapper."

He crossed his arms again, shuffling slightly on his feet. "How so?"

"You're different," she replied with a shrug of the shoulder, "kind, almost . . . I can barely tell if it's genuine or just part of your plan to lead me into a falls sense of security."

"I'm not trying to be anything." Natsu said. "I have no reason to be an asshole. Like I said earlier, this is nothing to do with you."

"Has it to do with my father?" The fear in her eyes returned, but she hid it well. "Is he in danger?"

The worry for her father hurt his heart. She was a princess. He was a commoner. But in that moment, they were equals. Fear didn't pick and choose based on status.

"No." He answered. "No, it's not like that at all. As . . . horrible as it sounds . . . you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Princess."

Lucy stared up at him, her big brown eyes glistening. She wanted to believe him, and if she was perfectly honest with herself, she already did a little. But she couldn't allow herself to confuse his acts of 'kindness' as anything other than self-seeking motions. She wasn't locked away in this attic for a vacation. She was there because he wanted something, and with her there he knew he could get it. She didn't want to think of anything bad happening, but she knew she couldn't rule it out either.

"I don't know if I should believe you," she croaked, her usual sweet voice sounding hoarse and raspy, "but if I don't . . . then where's my hope?"

Natsu watched as she covered her eyes, her small body heaving as she began to cry again. He could only imagine how she was feeling. She had spent her whole life in safety, never having to worry physically or financially. To find herself locked away with complete strangers would be the biggest knock to her.

"Then do believe . . ." He finally spoke. "I promise you, you'll be safe. Your family will be safe. I'm not going to let anything else happen to you. You have my word."

Again, Lucy looked up at him and with her tears dying down, gave a small nod. Sniffling, she wiped her nose on the long sleeve of the sweater before running her hands through her long hair. She could feel the dirt and grit through it, a twig or something stuck in the back. Oh, what she would do for a bath right then.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Natsu asked nervously. "Food? Water?"

"I need a bath." She replied, too embarrassed to meet his gaze "I . . . I need to wash the dirt off me."

Natsu could relate. He wanted nothing more than to lock himself in the bathroom and scrub away until the dirt and guilt were gone.

"Uh, sure." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We only have a shower though, so . . ."

"That's fine." Lucy answered, standing up once again, the pain in her torn-up feet crippling. "I just need to . . . be clean."

"Okay." Natsu nodded. "The other two are passed out so I'll take you down now, but we have to be quick. I don't want any drama."

"Okay."

Hobbling slightly, Lucy followed Natsu to the door. The pain in her feet was beginning to become unbearable, and Natsu noticed. She held on to the walls and boxes that lay strewn about as she slowly joined him. Opening the door, Natsu turned to her, and without saying anything, gently picked her up bridal style. He could feel her body tense once more at the contact, but he couldn't let her tackle the stairs in as much pain.

"Sorry." He mumbled, her grip on his shirt loosening.

He quickly carried her down the stairs, peering round the door into the hallway to make sure that Gray, and especially Zancrow were still sound. With a small sigh of relief, Natsu set her back on her feet before leading her a few feet down the hall towards the bathroom. Lucy couldn't help but stare in horror when he flicked on the light, and in all honesty Natsu could understand why. The once cream wall tiles had, over the years, turned a sickly nicotine stained shade of yellow, the linoleum flooring tearing at the door way and round the cracked toilet.

Fit for a princess it most certainly wasn't.

"Uh . . ." Natsu stuttered, "to work the shower you need to turn it up to max and wait a few minutes. After that you can change the temperature."

"Thank you." Lucy murmured, wrapping her arms around her tiny waist.

"I – uh – I need to keep the door open a little . . . Just in case." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lucy could tell that he was obviously uncomfortable about the situation, but all she did was nod slowly. Giving a slight nod in return, Natsu went out of the bathroom and lent against the wall by the door. Soon he could hear the running water and the rustle of the shower curtain. Sighing, he took off the sunglasses and pulled the scarf down from his face. He took down his hood and removed his hat, sitting all the items on the small table which sat beside him. Running his hands through his hair, Natsu sighed again. He looked at the floor, and then back up, his eyes setting on the mirror in front of him. It had a clear view of the inside of the bathroom, and Natsu soon found himself sliding down the wall to sit on the floor when he caught a glimpse of Lucy's bare back as she pulled his sweater over her head.

He was many things, but a peeping tom was not one of them.

Resting his head against the wall, Natsu closed his eyes, memories of Igneel flooding his mind. _You're going to make something of yourself one day, kid, just you wait . . . You think no one cares about you, well here's something, I do . . . I'm proud of you, son. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise . . ._

He could feel the tears burn the back of his eyes.

"I'm going to make it better, Dad." He whispered, a single tear running down his cheek. "I'm going to make it better . . . I promise."

 **. . . . . .**

 **A/N: Well guys, what did you think? Lots of dialogue here. I really hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks once again to everyone who read/reviewed/alerted/favourited this story and my other story/semi-autobiography 'The Good Girl'. It means so much. Please drop a comment and let me know what you think of this chapter.**

 **Thanks, my lovelies xoxoxo**


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